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The Mini and the Fiat 500 were revolutionary. The original Beetle was revolutionary. The Ford Model T was revolutionary. None of these were revolutionary necessarily because of the technology they used, but because they brought mobility to the masses. They were small - well, at least the Mini and the original Cinquecento were - because cost needed to be low, and small size was one part of keeping costs down.
The Smart car, by comparison, without a modern diesel, is more of a discretionary luxury - a comfortable car, loaded with technology, that provides a luxury in the form of ease of use in the city.
Whatever we may think of it as consumers, we're more likely be driving the next generation of Fiat 500 than we are Smart car, if only because of fuel prices - car companies will merge our desire for personal mobility with the demands that lower fuel consumption, and next thing you know we'll be driving Tata Indicas and the like.
